Stout season is here! Lough Gill Irish Stouts on the way and more!

Lough Gill Brewery:

  • Lough Gill – Trinity 6/4/330ml CANS – Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Oatmeal Stout. A rounded, full bodied and velvety Imperial Stout. Trinity was aged for a full year in the best Bourbon casks that arrived straight from the US to Sligo. Strong woody notes, a great kick of Bourbon aromas all followed by soft notes of Oats, Chocolate and Dark Roasted malts. Craft Brewed and Aged in our independent brewery in Sligo, Ireland. 12.0% ABV – IE
  • Lough Gill – Chalice 6/4/330ml CANS – Irish Whiskey Barrel Aged Imperial Stout w/ Pecan Nuts & Vanilla. Irish Whiskey Barrel Aged Imperial Stout, infused with Roasted Pecan Nuts and Madagascan hand opened Madagascan Vanilla pods. This beer is a fusion of flavours, offering a decadent taste experience. With a delightful interplay of roasted pecan nut richness, the smooth sweetness of Madagascan Vanilla, and the mellow warmth of Irish whiskey barrel ageing, each sip leads to a complex and satisfying finish. The full-bodied, velvety mouthfeel. Craft Brewed and Aged in our independent brewery in Sligo. Irish Whiskey Barrels from Boann Distillery in Drogheda, Ireland. 13% ABV – IE
  • Lough Gill – Spear 6/4/330ml CANS – Irish Whiskey Barrel Aged Imperial Stout, showcasing the perfect blend of robust flavours and elegance. Pouring an opaque black with a tan head, it exudes aromas of charred oak, vanilla, dark chocolate, and roasted coffee. The first sip reveals a marriage of these elements, with a velvety, full-bodied mouthfeel and a warming whiskey finish. Craft Brewed and Aged in our independent brewery in Sligo. Irish Whiskey Barrels from Boann Distillery in Drogheda, Ireland. 13.0% ABV – IE
  • Lough Gill – Torc 6/4/330ml CANS – Irish Whiskey Barrel Aged Imperial Stout w/ Toasted Coconut & Vanilla. Torc undergoes a tropical transformation with the infusion of Toasted Coconut and Madagascan Vanilla. This exceptional beer marries the warming notes of Irish Whiskey with the rich complexity of roasted malts, while the toasted coconut adds a delightful and evergreen tropical sweetness and the Madagascan vanilla pods infuse velvety smoothness. With a full-bodied, luxurious mouthfeel. Craft Brewed and Aged in our independent brewery in Sligo. Irish Whiskey Barrels from Boann Distillery in Drogheda, Ireland. 13.0% ABV – IE
  • Lough Gill – Shield 6/4/330ml CANS – Irish Whiskey Barrel Aged Imperial Stout infused with Ethiopian and Guatemalan coffee beans.  This unique creation marries the rich, smoky heritage of Irish Whiskey with the bold complexities of an Imperial Stout. What sets Shield apart is its rich malt grist plus an after ageing infusion of freshly roasted and ground coffee beans, adding a layer of aromatic complexity to the bold coffee, chocolate, and toffee flavours. Pouring a deep black with a tan head, the beer delivers a delightful aroma of coffee, oak, and hints of vanilla. Craft Brewed and Aged in our independent brewery in Sligo. Irish Whiskey Barrels from Crolly Distillery in Donegal, Ireland. 14.0% ABV – IE
  • Lough Gill – Tara 6/4/330ml CANS – Pedro Ximénez Barrel Aged Imperial Oatmeal Stout, offering a blend of rich flavours. With its deep black colour and captivating aromas of dried fruits, caramel, dark chocolate, and roasted coffee, Tara is an irresistible indulgence. Each sip unveils a combination of oatmeal creaminess and Pedro Ximénez sherry sweetness, culminating in a rich, satisfying finish. 14.8% ABV – IE
  • Lough Gill – Cask 6/4/330ml CANS – Outstanding Imperial Irish Coffee Stout Aged in Irish Whiskey Barrels from Clonakilty Distillery in Cork. Craft Brewed and Aged in our independent brewery in Sligo, Ireland. 12.0% ABV – IE
  • Lough Gill – Chuckee Larmz 6/4/440ml CANS – Imperial Marshmallow Lucky Charms Milk Stout. In your hand is a silky creamy Milk Stout. Brewed with heaps of Lucky Charms breakfast cereal and marshmallows. Packing a punch at 9.1% abv this beer is “magically delicious”. Grab a spoon and dig in!
    Craft Brewed in our independent brewery in Sligo, Ireland. 9.1% ABV – IE

Front Porch Brewing:

  • Front Porch Neil’s Donut French Toast Stout 6/4/16oz CANS – Imperial Stout brewed with french toast donuts . In collaboration with famed Neil’s Donuts! 10% ABV – CT
  • Front Porch X Skygazer Boba Bliss Pink Guava 6/4/16oz CANS – Creamee Bubble Tea Sour Ale brewed with Pink Guava. 5% ABV – CT
  • Front Porch Twisted Sisters 6/4/16oz CANS – Delicious IPA brewed Loral, Ekuanot , HBC 586 hops. 6% ABV – CT – This Beer is in Collaborations with Pink Boots Society, an organization that aims to assist, inspire and encourage women and non-binary individuals in the fermented/alcoholic beverage industry to advance their careers through education.
  • Front Porch Thank You 6/4/16oz CANS – DIPA with Sabro, Hallertau Blanc, Enigma, Huell Melon and El Dorado. 8% ABV – CT

Timber Ales:

  • Timber Ales Chasing Darkness 6/4/16oz CANS – Imperial Stout Conditioned on Coconut.⁠ The return of the masterpiece that was the first Beer from Timber Ales. 12% ABV – NY 
  • Timber Ales Blended with Lumber #4 (Pecan Coffee Vanilla) 6/4/16oz CANS – Blended Imperial Stout aged for 32 months in Weller barrels, and conditioned on pecans, coffee, vanilla beans and coconut. 13.4% ABV – NY
  • Timber Ales French Toast by Campfire 6/4/12oz CANS – Snack Sized Stout Conditioned on Maple Syrup, Coffee and Cinnamon. 6% ABV – NY
  • Timber Ales Blueberry Pancakes by Campfire 6/4/12oz CANS – Snack Sized Stout Conditioned on Maple Syrup, Coffee and Blueberry. 6% ABV – NY
  • Timber Ales Strawberry Brulee 6/4/12oz CANS – Snack Sized Stout Conditioned on Maple Syrup, Coffee, and Strawberries. 6% ABV – NY
  • Timber Ales Beer for Drinking 6/4/16oz CANS – Kellerbier inspired Lager, brewed with Mittelfruh and Saaz hops. 5.2% ABV – NY
  • Timber Ales Beer for Drinking at Dusk 6/4/16oz CANS – Dark Lager perfect for a cooling evening. 5.2% ABV – NY
  • Timber Ales Daydreams at Dusk 6/4/16oz CANS – Double Hazy IPA w/ Galaxy. 8.2% ABV – NY
  • Timber Ales I Must Be Dreaming 6/4/16oz CANS – Sour w/ Blueberries, Peaches, Graham Cracker, Vanilla Beans & Milk Sugar. 6% ABV – NY

TOX Brewing:

  • Tox Brewing Mochasomniac 6/4/16oz CANS – ABOMINATION Collab. Imperial Stout brewed with Chocolate, Vanilla, & Coffee. 11% ABV – CT
  • Tox Brewing Midnight Shade 6/4/16oz CANS – Imperial Stout with Coffee. 9% ABV – CT
  • Tox Brewing Ink – Dark Stuff 6/4/16oz CANS – Sour Ale brewed with Blackberry, Black Currant, Blueberry, Sweet Cherry, Plum, Lactose, & Vanilla. 6% ABV – CT
  • Tox Brewing Ergot 6/4/16oz CANS – Hoppy American Wheat Beer with Coriander and Citrus⁠. 5.2% ABV – CT
  • Tox Brewing FUGU – NELSON 6/4/16oz CANS – TOX flagship IPA Fugu, but dry hopped with Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand. 6.5% ABV – CT
  • Tox Brewing Digitox 6/4/16oz CANS – Hoptimally saturated Double IPA with Nelson & Citra. 8.5% ABV – CT
  • Tox Brewing Copperhead 6/4/16oz CANS – Delicious American Amber Ale. 5.8% ABV – CT

Lua “Weathered” BA stout goes on sale 3/5 @ 10 am via TOAST!

Another delicious sounding stout is coming from Lua Brewing, and tickets are going on sale tomorrow morning (3/5) at 10 a.m. via TOAST. Here’s more on “Weathered” and how to get your bottle below courtesy of Lua Brewing:

WEATHERED (16.4%)

Hello my friend we meet again, it’s been a while, where should we begin? How about over a bottle of WEATHERED, a barrel-aged stout we brewed with our friends at Back Channel Brewing. Aged 26 months in Elijah Craig barrels, expect baker’s chocolate, crème brûlée, and a pleasant warmth lent by the barrels. When you see the signs, don’t stop dancing, ‘cause when you’re with me, I’m careless and I believe.

Sales for WEATHERED bottles go live tomorrow (Tuesday, 3/5) at 10AM online via TOAST (link in our bio) and will remain on sale, online, during our regular business hours until sold out.

WEATHERED will be sold as solo 375mL bottles, limit three bottles per person & proxies are absolutely allowed. Picking up for a proxy? Just be sure to have their name/order number ready for us when you’re picking up 🥰.

Draft pours and bottle pickup start at 11AM here in our Sherman Hill taproom on Friday, March 8 and may be picked up anytime during regular business hours by end of day Sunday, March 10.

Lua Brewing “Sonder” blend bottles available at the taproom!

Courtesy of Lua’s Facebook page:

SONDER BLEND NO. 1 (5.0%)

Sonder No. 1 was brewed with a variety of raw grains and was fermented and aged in white wine barrels with our house culture of bacteria and wild yeast for over a year, softening the edges of the bright tartness. It was then bottle conditioned for over two years.

Three-plus years in the making, Sonder No. 1 is funky and slightly tart, but more strongly steeped in oak and vanilla notes, owing to its age in barrels. It was naturally carbonated in the bottle.

SONDER BLEND NO. 3 (3.5%)

Sonder No. 3 is a rustic Berliner Weisse, brewed with floor malted Pilsner malt and a variety of raw grains, including Iowa buckwheat and winter red wheat. It was fermented and aged in white wine barrels with our house culture of bacteria and wild yeast for over a year before being naturally refermented in the bottle.

Berliner Weisse, a revered historical style, has gotten a bad rap lately. Slushified American kettle sours, while often tasty, are not Berliner Weisse. They’re just not. This presentation of Sonder is our interpretation of a true authentic Berliner, and we are very proud of it.

These beers, like all presentations of Sonder, are a representation of this time, of this place, and of us.

Both SONDER bottles are available to enjoy here at our taproom.

Lion Bridge 2024 “Barrel-Aged January” Lineup Announced!

Courtesy of Lion Bridge’s website:

Barrel Aged January 2024 Beer Releases

Home-Baked 2024 (Imperial Stout w/ Hazelnut, Cinnamon, Cacao, Love, 11%) – Dessert for your desert island. Fudge and saigon cinnamon meld with a little bit of hazelnut goodness and bourbon barrel to produce something we liken to a cookie in beer form.

Vanilla Home-Baked (Imperial Stout/ Hazelnut, Cinnamon, Cacao, Vanilla, 11%) – We took our dessert for a desert island and dosed it with huge amounts of whole bean Madagascar Vanilla. An even more decadent treat!

Couples Skate (Barrel-Fermented Brett Beer w/whole peaches, 6.5%) – A slightly awkward first encounter that has led to happily ever after. We crushed 500lbs of Michigan peaches straight from the tree and let them rest on hand-selected wild barrels from our wood cellar for 8 months.

Oco Noco (Imperial Milk Stout w/Coconut, 11%) – We took an exceptional Imperial Milk Stout, aged it in Bourbon barrels for a year, and then put an obscene amount of toasted and un-toasted coconut into it until beer and confectionary treat melded seamlessly together. Simple, but oh so decadent.

Forgotten Time 2024 (Barrel-Aged Barley Wine, 12%) – The real deal Barley Wine. Brewed in collaboration with our friends at Clockhouse. Aged for 28 months in 10-year-old Templeton Rye Whiskey barrels. Sherry, chocolate, dark fruit for days.

GAZPROM! 2019 (Russian Imperial Stout w/Maple Syrup, 12%) – Viscous, and black. After primary fermentation this oily, Russian giant is re-fermented in bourbon barrels with Great River Maple dark syrup then blended back together to add consistency and complexity. 2016 GABF Bronze Medal Winner for Specialty Beer.

Shadow Puppet (Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, 13%) – Aged 36 months in Cedar Ridge Bourbon Barrels and blended to bring an amazing beer out of the darkness. Notes of dried dark fruits, chocolate, sherry, oak, caramel, and vanilla.

Home-Baked Whiskey Release …. details coming soon!

Week by Week breakdown:

Week 1

1/4 Live Music – Trevor Treiber 6-8 PM

1/6 BEER RELEASE : Home-Baked 2024

1/6 BEER RELEASE : Vanilla Home-Baked 2024

1/6 Raffle for FREE Lion Bridge Merchandise!

Food Special (starting 1/3)

Pork Tenderloin with a Maple Vanilla Glaze atop Blue Cheese Macaroni

Smoked Gouda Burger

Three Layer Coconut Cream Cake


Week 2

1/13 BEER RELEASE : Couples Skate

1/13 BEER RELEASE : Cellar Release – Barrel-Aged Oco Noco 2022

1/13 Live Music – Severio Lancieri 6-8 PM

1/13 Country Night! Come dressed in your best cowboy/western look!

1/13 Raffle for FREE Lion Bridge Merchandise!

1/14 Make Your Own Face Stein (tickets) 2-4 PM

1/16 Tuesday Night Trivia 6-8 PM

1/18 Magic Show 6-7 PM

Food Special (starting 1/10)

BBQ Ribs and Cornbread / Mac & Cheese and Green Beans

BBQ Bacon Burger

Apple Turnovers with Bourbon Caramel Sauce and Whipped Cream


1/20 BEER RELEASE : Forgotten Time Barley Wine 2024 edition

1/20 BEER RELEASE : Cellar Release – GAZPROM 2019

1/20 Raffle for FREE Lion Bridge Merchandise!

1/20 Open Night Mic 7-9 PM

1/23 Tuesday Night Trivia 6-8 PM

1/25 Live Music – Carson Parker Cello Duet 6-8 PM

Food Special (starting 1/17)

Hearty Beef Stew

Lamb Meat Pies

Apple Turnovers with Bourbon Caramel Sauce and Whipped Cream

Week 3


1/27 BEER RELEASE : Shadow Puppet

1/27 BEER RELEASE : Home-Baked Whiskey

1/27 Raffle for FREE Lion Bridge Merchandise!

1/28 Cedar Rapids Brewing Society Happy Hour 3-5 PM

Food Special (starting 1/24)

Pesto Flatbread with Goat Cheese and Candied Pecans

Cranberry and Barleywine Braised Brisket with Roasted Kale and Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes 

Raspberry Tart

Old Chicago Coralville Hosting Tallgrass Tap Takeover Wed. March 23rd

tallgrassOld Chicago in Coralville will be hosting a Tallgrass Brewing tap takeover this Wednesday night. Tallgrass will be bringing some of their big guns from the Explorer Series as well as a pin called “Buffalo Sex”. One of my personal favorites, Big RICC, will be on tap as well. The complete lineup and release poster is below, make sure to check it out if you are in the area!

We will be tapping  3 beers from the explorer series. Bourbon barrel buffalo sweat, bourbon barrel vanilla bean buffalo sweat, and big RICC. We will also be tapping a pin at 5 pm that is called Buffalo Sex. It is Buffalo Sweat with chocolate and cherry!

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Deschutes The Abyss coming November 18th

the abyssAlthough this release will be very limited Deschutes has announced that their 2013 release of The Abyss Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout will indeed be distributed to 23 states they distribute to. If you see it, drop me a line to let everyone know where it is available! Cheers!

The Abyss:
Ratebeer:         100/100
Beeradvocate: 100/100

More on the release courtesy of beerpulse.com.

We wanted to give you all a heads up to let you know that The Abyss 2013 launch is set for November 14th at our pubs in Bend and Portland. From 11 am ’til close, enjoy samples, snifters and special food menu items made with this dark and delicious beer. Take home bottles and swag for yourself and your craft beer loving friends and enjoy vertical flights from previous years to compare to the 2013 version.

Don’t live in Bend or Portland? Be on the lookout for The Abyss at your local grocery stores, liquor stores, bottle shops, pubs and bars that carry Deschutes Brewery’s specialty beers all year round. A limited amount will be shipping out to all 23 states in our distribution footprint from our brewery warehouse the week of November 18th. Please ask for it at your favorite craft beer locations and watering holes and if you are having a hard time locating this beer, try using our beer finder tool.

Haven’t heard of The Abyss? This imperial stout is filled with dark malts, brewers’ licorice and black strap molasses and is then “dry hopped” with vanilla beans and cherry bark making it rich and complex. Top that off by aging this precious liquid in bourbon, Oregon oak and pinot noir barrels for a taste you will never forget. Age a bottle upright in your cellar (or dark, cool closet) for a year or two…or three, and enjoy with food, friends and family! And be sure to tune in to our website and social media channels on the 14th for a behind-the-scenes look into The Abyss.

Beer Review #99: Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

bcsThe very first barrel-aged beer America stills stands strong today as Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout continues to make beer headlines nationwide as one of/if not the best barrel-aged beer around. I got up very early on a cold Iowa Tuesday morning to capture the prize of a few four-packs of this brew, and was glad I did. As I have slowly evolved into a barrel-aged beer lover, I’ve come to appreciate what the booze offers a really good crafted stout. Earlier in my beer drinking days, I would have scoffed, and possibly spit this beer out proclaiming it to be too boozy and downright undrinkable, but now, I relish the opportunity to taste the vanilla from the bourbon and oak flavor from the barrel.

Goose Island has made many headlines in the beer world this last few years as the Evil Empire that is AB-InBev bought them out, and as much as I avoid buying the big 3, I’ve also come to appreciate that Goose Island hasn’t sacrificed their quality of product with the buyout…. yet, and I hope they never do.

From the brewery:

“I really wanted to do something special for our 1000th batch at the original brewpub. Goose Island could have thrown a party. But we did something better. We brewed a beer. A really big batch of stout-so big the malt was coming out of the top of the mash tun. After fermentation we brought in some bourbon barrels to age the stout. One hundred and fifty days later, Bourbon County Stout was born-A liquid as dark and dense as a black hole with a thick foam the color of bourbon barrels. The nose is a mix of charred oak, vanilla,carmel and smoke. One sip has more flavor than your average case of beer. It overpowers anything in the room. People have even said that it’s a great cigar beer, but I haven’t yet tried a cigar that would stand up to it.”

I will be letting a few four packs age and hopefully at some point I can put together a vertical tasting of this beer, but as I was sipping the last one, (about 2 weeks ago), and as it warmed, it might have been the best barrel-age I’ve tasted. The aroma of the vanilla shines through the longer this beer sits, and as I finished the last half of it, it started tasting like a liquid form of an almond joy candy bar. Anyone else get that flavor? Such a great beer to sit and sip on, especially on a cold winter night! The alcohol warms you up nicely but does not overpower the fantastic flavor of this wonderfully well-crafted brew.  Cheers!

REVIEW

Style: Imperial Stout

ABV:15%

Purchased at: Hy-Vee

Pour: Viscous black pour, very thick.

Aroma: Bourbon sweetness, vanilla, coconut.

Flavor: Chocolate flavor, the bourbon is there, coconut is well. Liquid almond joy (that can get you drunk)

Ratebeer.com rating: 100/100

Beeradvocate.com rating: 100/100

Overall: A

My recommendation: A fantastic beer, proceed with caution as a few of these could put you on your ass pretty quick. If you are not into barrel-aged beers this would be something great to try with a group of people at a tasting event.

Beer Review #91: Founders Backwoods Bastard

It has been a wonderful year for beer in Eastern Iowa. Green Flash, Stone, and Founders have made their way to our state and have graced us with some fantastic brews. Founders was the first major brewery to re-enter the state of Iowa and they have brought some amazing beers with them. I love their Harvest Ale, Breakfast Stout, KBS, and their IPA is really solid as well. Those are all your basic style beers, IPAs and stouts, so I was a little frightened to venture into the land of Barrel-Aged wee-heavy or scotch ales. I’m not a whiskey drinker by any means so I was under the impression that I would really dislike this brew……..I was very, very, wrong.

Description from Founders:

Big and delicious for your ’perty mouth. Expect lovely, warm smells of single malt scotch, oaky bourbon barrels, smoke, sweet caramel and roasted malts. A bit of earthy spice and a scintilla of dark cherries. It’s a kick-back sipper made to excite the palate.

I think the most important thing when drinking a bourbon barrel aged beer isn’t getting a mouthfeel of bourbon to taste the balanced the booziness will be with the rich flavor of malt from, in this case, a Scotch Ale, and Founders really nails it with this beer. Is the bourbon in the beer? Absolutely, but not overwhelming, and a nice warming sensation when drinking. This is not a beer to chug in 10 minutes, but to sit and enjoy for 30 minutes or so. The dark chocolate undertones you get with the bourbon when you first start drinking transform, at least for me, into a chocolately-coconut aroma and taste. Halfway done with this beer and I thought I was drinking a liquified Almond Joy candy bar.

A rustic, old world beer that hits my Top 10 beers of the fall/winter to try. This beer would also be great for aging. When the snow starts falling and you are out shoveling like a sucker or snow blowing your drive; coming in from that and having one of these waiting for you makes it all worth it.

REVIEW

STYLE: Wee Heavy/Scotch Ale bourbon barrel aged.

ABV:10.2%

PURCHASED AT: Hy-Vee; Marion, IA

Pour: Dark red pour with a brown hue. Minimal white head.

Aroma: Malt, bourbon, caramel.

Taste: Caramel, dark chocolate, brown sugar, and bourbon. The warmer it got the sweeter the taste.

Overall: A-

My Recommendation: Awesome beer, a great winter warmer.